Columbus Blue Jackets vs Montreal Canadiens Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Thursday March 26 2026
Use Code WWWC The Eastern Conference playoff race gets a little more interesting on Thursday night when the Columbus Blue Jackets skate into Bell Centre to take on the Montreal Canadiens in a battle between two clubs with legitimate postseason ambitions and almost nothing separating them in the standings. If you have been tracking our NHL picks this season, you already know games like this one — tightly contested, line-movement rich, and loaded with analytical tension — are exactly the kind of spots where sharp handicapping pays off. The moneyline has already flipped once, the total has ticked up, and the injury report for Montreal is more significant than it first appears. Let's break it all down.
Quick Picks and Prediction
- Puck Line Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5
- Total Pick: Over 6.5
- Projected Final Score: Canadiens 4, Blue Jackets 3
Odds and Line Movement
Opening Odds
| Market | Columbus | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline (Earliest) | +100 | -120 |
| Total (Earliest) | Over 6½ (-110) | Under 6½ (-110) |
Current Odds
| Market | Columbus | Montreal |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline (Latest) | +102 | -122 |
| Total (Latest) | Over 6½ (-108) | Under 6½ (-112) |
Line Movement - Puck Line
| Date | Time | Columbus | Montreal | Public ($, #) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/26 | 02:59:44 AM | +102 | -122 | CLB 54%, CLB 75% |
| 03/25 | 10:13:20 PM | -102 | -118 | MON 100%, MON 100% |
| 03/25 | 02:12:16 PM | +105 | -125 | MON 100%, MON 100% |
| 03/25 | 11:23:46 AM | +100 | -120 | — |
Line Movement - Total
| Date | Time | Over | Under | Public ($, #) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/25 | 10:13:20 PM | 6½ (-108) | 6½ (-112) | — |
| 03/25 | 03:02:23 PM | 6½ (-115) | 6½ (-105) | — |
| 03/25 | 11:23:46 AM | 6½ (-110) | 6½ (-110) | — |
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Key Matchups and Handicap
This is a legitimate playoff-preview matchup on paper, with Montreal entering at 39-21-10 and Columbus right behind at 38-22-11. The gap between these clubs in the standings is almost cosmetic, which makes the slight home-chalk price on Montreal an interesting conversation. The moneyline has already moved in notable fashion — Columbus opened near +100 to +105, got briefly pushed to -102 in the middle of the overnight session when Montreal money dominated at 100% on both dollars and tickets, and then reversed course back to a plus number by early Thursday morning when Columbus started pulling 54% of the dollars and 75% of the tickets. That reversal is telling. Sharp action often reveals itself through exactly this kind of back-and-forth, and right now the public money has not been able to hold Montreal as a comfortable favorite.
On the ice, these teams have genuinely different identities. Montreal operates as one of the more explosive offensive clubs in the East, averaging 3.53 goals per game. Nick Suzuki has been an elite playmaker all season and is up to 86 points, while Cole Caufield has reached 44 goals — a finishing rate that puts him among the league's most dangerous pure scorers. The Canadiens are especially hard to play against at home, where their forecheck and crowd energy tend to overwhelm teams that lack the defensive structure to sustain pressure.
Columbus counters with exactly that kind of structure. The Blue Jackets have allowed just 3.04 goals per game, one of the tighter defensive marks in the Eastern Conference. Their transition offense runs largely through Zach Werenski, who has put up 77 points from the blue line and continues to be the engine for both five-on-five exits and power-play execution. Columbus has also been in excellent recent form, winning four of their last five games heading into this road trip. Montreal has won three of their last five, which is solid but a step behind the momentum Columbus brings into Thursday.
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In net, the crease matchup is worth monitoring. Jet Greaves has posted better overall numbers for Columbus than Elvis Merzlikins this season, while Montreal has leaned more effectively on Jakub Dobes than Samuel Montembeault. If the expected starters go, Columbus may actually have a slight edge between the pipes — a meaningful factor when one goal could be the difference in a game this tight.
The case for Columbus +1.5 on the puck line rests on a straightforward foundation: the Blue Jackets are the more disciplined defensive team, they are playing their best hockey of the last month, and their road record suggests they are capable of making games uncomfortable for teams that prefer to run and gun. Getting a team with this defensive profile at plus-money on the puck line against an injury-depleted Montreal squad is the kind of spot worth leaning into.
Betting Trends – CBJ vs MTL
- Columbus has won four of its last five games entering Thursday's matchup.
- Montreal has won three of its last five games and is 39-21-10 overall.
- Columbus is 38-22-11, separated from Montreal by minimal points in the Eastern Conference standings.
- The moneyline opened Columbus at +100 and briefly moved to -102 before reversing to +102 — a notable two-way swing suggesting competing sharp and public action.
- Columbus pulled 54% of the dollars and 75% of the tickets on the moneyline as of the Thursday morning line reading.
- Montreal pulled 100% of both dollars and tickets at an earlier window, indicating heavy public support before the line corrected.
- The total has held at 6½ throughout movement, with the juice shifting from -110/-110 to -108/-112 in favor of the over.
- Montreal averages 3.53 goals per game; Columbus allows 3.04 goals per game.
- Zach Werenski leads Columbus with 77 points; Nick Suzuki leads Montreal with 86 points.
- Cole Caufield has reached 44 goals on the season for Montreal.
Key Injuries and Notes – CBJ vs MTL
- Kirby Dach (MTL): Out. His absence hurts Montreal's center depth and two-way matchup flexibility — a significant structural loss against a team like Columbus.
- Patrik Laine (MTL): Out. Removes a dangerous one-timer option and one of the Canadiens' most lethal pure finishing threats from the power play.
- Brendan Gallagher (MTL): Day-to-day. If he cannot go, Montreal loses net-front presence, secondary scoring, and bottom-six edge.
- Brendan Smith (CBJ): Out. A depth defensive loss for Columbus, but does not affect the core of the blue line with Werenski healthy and anchoring the back end.
- Columbus is notably cleaner on the injury front, giving the Blue Jackets a personnel advantage heading into this road game.
- Montreal's power play loses potency without both Laine and Dach in the lineup, which could limit their ability to manufacture goals if the game stays tight into the third period.
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens ATS and Total Picks
Puck Line Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5. The Blue Jackets are the tighter defensive team, have won four of their last five games, and are getting plus-money value on the puck line against a Montreal team that is missing Dach, Laine, and potentially Gallagher. The injury differential is significant enough to balance out the home-ice advantage, and Columbus has shown all season that they can grind out one-goal results on the road. Back the Jackets to keep this within a goal.
Total Pick: Over 6.5 (-108). Montreal's top line featuring Suzuki and Caufield is dangerous enough to force pace and create scoring chances at a high rate, and both teams have the power-play personnel — even with Montreal's absences — to turn a close game into something higher scoring late. The juice on the over has held firm even as the line has settled, suggesting the market is comfortable with the pace of this matchup. Take the over.
Final Score Prediction
Montreal's top-line firepower at home and their superior offensive depth — even accounting for the injuries — is enough to push them over the finish line in a game that goes down to the wire. Columbus keeps it close throughout with their defensive structure and Werenski driving the back end, but the Canadiens find a way to close it out in what should be one of the better games on Thursday's slate.
Projected Final Score: Montreal Canadiens 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 3
How to Bet the Blue Jackets vs Canadiens
With a game this close on paper and a puck line that offers genuine value on the road team, getting the best number matters. Social sportsbooks are a great option for bettors in states where traditional wagering is not yet live, giving you a way to engage with a tight Eastern Conference matchup like this one without needing access to a licensed sportsbook. For those in regulated markets, the bet365 bonus code is one of the strongest welcome offers available and adds immediate value whether you are playing the puck line, the total, or both. Looking for a more mobile-first experience? The Fliff promo code unlocks a solid sign-up bonus and lets you get in on Thursday night's Blue Jackets-Canadiens action with extra cushion in your bankroll.
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